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Inspirational art de table from Yara Estephan
Spring is all about colors – and why settle for one when you can have them all?
During your spring festivities, use the many seasonal flowers and fruits available to craft gorgeous combinations of bright and pastel table decorations. It’s the perfect way to celebrate this season!
Fresh and cheerful like the events she plans, Yara Estephan credits her background in graphic design for her creative concepts and innovative use of color and pattern. She started her event planning business Yourwedding just a couple of years ago, but she’s been organizing birthday parties and family dinners since she was a child. From a “love turns you upside down” wedding theme that included upturned vases hanging over mirror tables, to this special Easter table she crafted just for Taste & Flavors, Estephan can bring her signature touch to every table – including yours.
When it comes to springtime art de la table, Estephan says color is the way to go. “The trend for spring is always colors, ranging from flashy to pastel. It reflects the freshness of the season, especially if you’re hosting outdoors,” she adds. She was inspired to go for a vivid color-scheme for this table after a recent visit to lush LA restaurant, The Ivy. “When I do a setup, I create a concept first and then go into the details,” says Estephan. For this particular table she also added a vintage touch, which she says is very ‘in’ right now.
Since most flowers are in bloom at this time of year, they are easy to find – and inexpensive. From floral staples like roses, lilies and daisies, to more seasonal options like tulips and hortensias, it’s the easiest period to find an array of flowers. Whatever your favorite colors, she suggests using combinations of different types of blossom. “Even if you’re sticking to one color, mixing flowers can add a lot of texture,” she recommends.
And, if you’re set on making a real impression on your guests you can get even more imaginative. Estephan uses lots of fruit on her
tables; citruses can be used to hold name cards, or you can stick little flowers in halved lemons. “Bowls of fruit can be used as a substitute for flowers, but the best way is to combine the two,” she says.
Estephan worked with florist Bonsai on this spring table setting. “For this table we used moss as a runner in the center of the table,” she explains. Together they chose the right kind of moss, and embellished it with exotic fruits and striking flowers. Discussing options with a florist can inspire lots of original ideas.
The rest of the arrangement is super easy to recreate. Estephan used household items with an added twist. A glass cake holder, large jar, and pitcher were filled with moss, garden-fresh fruits, and flourishing bouquets. “You don’t need to buy vases – get creative,” she encourages. An antique candleholder serves as a vase for bright red tulips. Every plate is unique, each topped with a dainty teacup filled with combinations of fruits, berries, roses, and hand-made flower-shaped meringues, courtesy of Cuisine d’amour. She also suggests adorning your furniture, adding fabrics, ribbons, and flowers to chairs in different ways, draping textiles over seats, and adding ornate cushions.
“There are no real don’ts in design – you can pull anything off,” says Estephan, noting that it’s better to avoid all things dark and too much wintery white. While Estephan usually goes for simpler themes, a specific motto moved her to decorate a bright and festive tabletop, such as this one, in line with the fun spirit of spring: more is more and less is a bore!